An Unpredictable Family
by CLASSICDUH
Summary: What would happen if Gustave was told who is actual father is? What would happen if Raoul actually went away? These questions will be answered.


**_Chapter One_**

The kiss was not at all taken by surprise as Erik locked lips with his beloved. They seemed to travel to a new world altogether, the only thing bringing them out was the slow opening of the dressing door, and only then did they separate. The stage manager came in with an envelope for her and, releasing her lover, she opened a letter from Raoul. Something shiny caught her eye an out fell, upon the desk, a ring. But what could it mean, that's what flooded her thoughts as she read aloud, "To my darling Christine: I have come to a sad realization that some people just aren't meant for each other. And that applies for you and I. I shall leave you with my wedding ring and you shall stay with your Angel of Music for the rest of your life. As for the boy, your lover told me, and he will stay. To you, I say, farewell, Little Lotte... Raoul!"

Just as she dropped the letter, she was embraced by the soft arms of her young child. Gustave was completely pleased with the performance, "Mother, you were excellent!"

"I am glad you think so."

Gustave looked behind his mother only to see the same intimidating man he ran away from hours ago. Still frightened, he asked, "Mother, why is Mr. Y in your dressing room?"

"Gustave, we were-"

"Actually, Christine, I can see I am not wanted in here. I'll be going now," she only watched as Erik left the room, Gustave curious about their relationship. The boy looked over at the letter on the table and inquired, "What does it say, mother?"

"Oh, well, it is from father-"

"Really? Was he pleased with the performance? Did he like the song?"

"Gustave-"

"Did he think you were brilliant? Does he want to leave to France now?"

"Gustave!" He stopped with the questions just as Christine cooled off, "Father has already left for France."

"Really? Is he coming for us?"

"I don't know how to tell you this, Gustave. But no, he isn't coming for us," Gustave backed far away from Christine until he bumped into the door, he looked around, wondering where to go.

"No! He has to come back! He can't leave us here! Where will we go?"

"I don't know, Gustave."

"We don't have any money! We'll be alone on the streets!"

"Gustave! Please, trust me."

"No. No! I want to go home!" He opened the door to the dressing room and rushed out in tears, followed by Christine who only wanted her little boys happiness. Before she could run any further she bumped into Erik and fell down on her back. Christine was lifted off of the floor and, looking into her lover's eyes, she worried, "Erik, Gustave! He ran off! I don't know where he's going, but he said he wants to go home."

"What made him run off?!"

She sighed, "I told him that Raoul left. He is so scared and it just breaks my heart see my little boy run away," making a scene, she clasped her hands together and pleaded, "Erik, please, help me find him!"

"Alright, alright! But we better hurry. You never know what could happen in Coney Island." He took her hand and, together, the rushed out of the theater and outside into the cool of an autumn evening. The entire park was crowded, making it very hard for them to navigate efficiently to where Erik presumed Gustave was. As they broke free from the crowd, Erik could see a little figure bobbing up and down in the ocean and ran as fast as he could before Christine stopped him just by the shore.

"No, let me go."

"Christine, you're going to sink with all that jewelry. I can get in faster, believe me," he said handing her his overcoat and cape, "I'll be out as soon as I can," he dove into the water like a professional and Christine could only stand and watch him swim. Gustave, trying his best, started to slowly drown, but before he could, Erik scooped him up and swam with him as fast as he could towards the shore. A big wave splashed and wiped them out, suddenly she could not see either of them and worried.

The waves grew larger and the current, which roared loudly, frightened her and made her think that both had died. Then she saw Erik walk from the side of the pier, holding Gustave, with his clothes drenched. Erik fell to the floor with Gustave and examined the unconscious boy, plugging Gustave's nose and breathing hard through the boy's mouth. Suddenly, the youngsters eyes opened wide and he was released, a cough sounding once he had lost the water from his lungs. Gustave saw his mother standing above him and he laid there unaffected as Erik stood onto his feet, pacing up off of the sand. Christine knelt gently over Gustave and held his hand, "Are you mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad at you, Gustave? I understand why you ran away, but you have to be more careful. You can't just swim back home."

"I didn't mean to. It was all a blur. Something hit me on the back and I fell into the water," she looked over at the pier and, circling it, were these pesky pelicans looking around for food. She looked back at Gustave, who now felt sad and very wrong for doing what he did, "I'm sorry, mother. I just wanted to go home and be with father again."

As Gustave stood up, Christine got off of her knee and followed him up the shore to where Erik sat. Erik looked down at them, hands pressed against a bar for leverage, and began to walk away. Gustave ran for him and gave him a big hug, along with an apology, "Thank you, Mr. Y. I am also sorry that I took your...mask off."

A smile spread across his lips and he grabbed Gustave's shoulders gently, "I forgive you. Also, you are very welcome."

"Mr. Y, where will mother and I go? I mean, we don't have any money?"

A chuckle came from Erik's throat and he looked down at the boy, "Well, if your mother doesn't mind," he looked up at Christine, "I would love to take you in. Until you can go back to France, that is."

"I wouldn't mind at all. Gustave?"

"I guess not. But I am a little scared. I just want to go home, mother. But I know we can't," Christine noticed the identical expression on both Gustave's and Erik's face, sad, yet blank, "I just wonder why father would leave us here."

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Erik, now dried warmly, sat at his writing desk doing work while Gustave, also dry and freshly clothed, sat on the sofa listening to his mother read beautiful poems by Victor Hugo. Christine, out of her concert attire, read softly to Gustave so as not to disturb Erik's work. They had read through five poems already and Gustave beginning to grow tired, slowly falling asleep in Christine's arms. She picked up the small form of her child and went with him upstairs to a room Erik designated as Gustave's.

She opened the door and walked in to drop her sleeping child into his bed. She soothed his little head with kisses and, as he shivered a bit, pulled the blankets over him, "Mother?" He whispered.

"Yes, Gustave?"

He paused and looked at Christine, her gaze sincere, "Are you mad at me for running away?"

"Not at all, Gustave. I am a believer in putting the past behind us. Don't you worry your little head," she said, giving him another kiss, "Now, I believe a goodnight is in order," she rose from her spot and Gustave, still tucked in bed, sat up and gave her a small hug.

"Goodnight, mother."

"Goodnight, Gustave," she left the room, content with the silence she heard.

As she went downstairs, she noticed Erik who just finished cleaning up his workspace. Once she stood on flat ground, she approached him quietly and watched him turn to give her a kiss on the lips, "I've been waiting for hours to do that."

"Erik, we need to talk seriously. About Gustave."

"Yes, Gustave. Brilliant child."

"Yes, but, Erik...you know as well I that we can't keep hiding it from him."

"What's to hide? Christine, we can't tell him. It would ruin everything for him. What I mean is that what child would want me as a father? I could make a good situation terrible within seconds."

"Erik, forget about your face. Forget about all of your past. Forget about the murders, okay! You are Gustave's biological father and you need to be the father. I can't do this without you. I can't raise a child by myself, I need some sort of help. Whether it be in teachings or affection."

"Christine, I am not the affectionate type."

"But you can be. You are capable of far more than you know, Erik. That's why I loved you- that's why I still love you," that caused him to look up, just the mere mention of the word love made him smile. The fact that someone actually cared for him was amazing. Erik decided to take Christine's thought into consideration and he made her follow him upstairs. He opened the door to his bedroom and they sat across from each other in two comfortable arm chairs, talking about Gustave. Christine started, "You should tell him soon."

"I know, but how and when? I can't just tell him tomorrow!"

"Erik?" There was a stern look on her face and he could tell, just by her glare, that was what he had to do.

"No way! No way in God's name am I doing it tomorrow! Christine, he will freak out so much. He won't talk to me ever again!" Erik held his head in his palms and shook as tears came out, "I want to be the father figure to my son, but I cannot bring myself to shun his happiness. He likes me as the friend, and that's how it should stay."

"But Erik!.."

"No! Alright, I said no!"

"But his father figure has disappeared! He believes that his 'father' doesn't care anymore. But Erik, you're his father. His father is literally ten feet away and he doesn't know! How do you think he would feel if you died, not knowing you were his father until then? How do you think I would feel? Erik, I did the deed. I made love with you, I had your baby! You have to be the father, or I will take the next rowboat and go to France!"

Erik nodded, realizing her true sacrifice for him. She, indeed, did the deed of making love and then being pregnant for nine months. Not only that, but she showed him immense kindness in the times when no one cared. She was the light in all of his dark times, and she really did deserve this. Gustave deserved to know his father, "I'll do it tomorrow. But I don't know exactly when."

"Oh, thank you, Erik!" She crawled over to his chair and kissed the knees of his trousers, looking up only to speak, "You don't know how much that means to me," she continued kissing at his knees and rubbed her smooth cheeks very gently across the soft cotton. Erik looked at the sight below him and started to stroke her hair, Christine's eyes shooting up at him. After a while, she realized what she was doing and stood up, backing away from him, "It isn't you. We just can't do that. Not with Gustave around."

"But that's how Gustave was made. We loved each other and then Gustave was born. You know that's what happened," she looked down at the floor and shook her head. That was how he was made, but then there might be another on the way if they did it again. If they loved each other like they did on that one night ten years ago.

"If we do it again, we might expect another. I couldn't bear to put Gustave through that."

Silence dawned on them as Erik stood up, and abruptly he ended the silence, "If we can't love, would you mind sleeping in my bed tonight?"

She knew what it meant to sleep in another mans bed, she would be caressed and kissed. But did she really care? This was the father of her child after all, "No. As long as you keep it proper."

He chuckled, "Christine has grown into a beautiful woman now. Alright, I will keep my hands to myself."

They climbed into bed together and ducked under the blankets. Erik really couldn't control himself, she was available and ten years without physical was starting to get to him. His love was right in front of him, all he had to do was reach out and touch her, but he couldn't bring himself to do that. He saw her closed eyes and heard the soft snoring, but couldn't make himself sleep. All he thought of now was how to tell Gustave.

**A/N: A big thanks to whoever stuck around and read this. More chapters shall come soon and hopefully Erik will find a way to tell Gustave :) **


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